Page 43 - Phoenix2000-01

COMMENTARY Thursday, October 26, 2000 - Page 7 The invisible minority of WMC traditional WMC is taking its time wak- Lisa VallAukell compares bian community when they needed ing up to a crisis. After II incidents the recent hate crimes to it? A wish that the problem would & values of anti-gay hate crimes and graffiti the event two years ago. resolve itself and fade back into ob- in Rouzer, our college is slowly scurity? Fear about bringing issues ones that sex is a casual event. starting to question the status of the that homosexuals should be "out" of sex out in the open? Apathy? I Perhaps the long lost concept gay and lesbian community on and others say that what anyone have my theories. of courtship has faded over the campus. does in his or her bedroom is per- The college is finally pressed to years, but it may not be gone for However. the crimes began sonal business. acknowledge that there. are still good. According to happening weeks ago, so why has Because no decision has been prejudices against the gay commu- Life magazine writer Brad it taken so long for the campus to reached by any majority of people, nity. Durrach, a recent poll discovered respond? it seems easier for some to simply Now, what WMC does next will that 74 percent of women and 80 For a long time, the GLTBQ let the issue go, refusing [Q take a show where it stands on GLTBQ (gay, lesbian, rransgender/trans, stance on the issue rather than of- issues. percent of men ranked compan- to sex as a reason above ionship sexual, bi-sexual, questioning) fend anyone. Hopefully, Campus Safety is community has been the invisible For these reasons, it has been trying to hunt down the vandals so marry. If those same results were true for relationships in general minority at both small campuses easy to look away from the GlTBQ he/she/they can be expelled. Sound verses only marriage, they could like WMC and at large national minority and concentrate on more like a harsh punishment? greatly influence relational atti- conferences. blatantly obvious issues, such as That's what happened when BJ Shorb tudes in America. People of nontraditional sexu- racism and sexism. they caught the student who Susan Hayward is the conduc- What made the college so slow to denounce hate crime and show Perhaps some ideas of the past tor of the Yankelovich Monitor, should not be forgotten. which is a study of American val- support to the gay and lesbian community when they needed it? A . Relationships in the 90's are ues. She is quoted in Durrach's ar- wish that the problem would resolve itself and fade back into certainly not as they were 50 years ticle saying, "We've given up our ago. In fact, 'courtship' is a rather focus on the rights of the self, and obscurity? Fear about bringing issues of sex out in the open? rare concept today. we've decided that connection In the Sept. 30 issue of with other people is a tremen- aliries come from all ethnic back- And it seems that's just what scrawled racist remarks on his own Wilmington, Delaware's The dously important part of what we grounds, and until someone is WMC has done. door two years ago. Anything less News Journal, John Hopkins Uni- want out of life." "out," there is really no way of When a student wrote racial than suspension would mark WMC versity sociologist Andrew In agreement, I think that we knowing if he or she is pan of the slurs across his own door two years as tolerant of homophobia, but not Cherlin defines traditional court- GlTBQ minority. ago, the campus was almost imme- tolerant of racism. ship. Karen Peterson quotes him may be returning 10 the formal That's why it has been easier in diately up in arms. Now that the campus is alerted saying, "It was a process where ways of nurturing relationships. Durrach connects the past to determine how ethnic Comparatively, when the graf- to issues of homophobia. it's time parents and others kept watch emotion now" with the "surge of the rising minorities fit into campus life, fiti in Rouzer began, no one said a to take action, not to ignore the while young people found a compared to how homosexuals are word until eleven incidents had alarm. spouse." problems like deficit, drug abuse, in education crisis, and pollution represented. happened. If the apathy that kept the hate Today, 'it seems as though the US. Also, racism is a somewhat Most of the student body had crimes on campus covered in si- young people go out in search of more tolerable subject for some no idea that some of their peers lence continues, WMC will not a significant other without the He says, "In a time of re- people. were being attacked with hate progress. presence of any parental guidance. trenchment, Americans seem to While racism comes down to speech until Dean of Student Af- The invisible minority was sim- In many cases; parents don't be getting back to basics, to the skin color and ethnic identity, ho- fairs Philip Sayre wrote a letter in- ply part of a dream that glossed even get to meet the significant ties that bind us one to one and mosexuality comes down to sex, an forming the student body weeks over homosexuality and homopho- other until months after the rela- one to aiL And the strongest of uncomfortable issue that causes after the incidents began. bia on campus. tionship begins. Cherlin is quoted these is Jove." Pu 11- much debate over the GlTBQ mi- So what made the college so Now the dream has ended; we saying, "There is no true courtship ing together and communicating nority. slow to denounce hale crime and need to make the decision to wake today." in love may be the key to improv- problems. ing our nation's Some groups of people claim show support to the gay and les- up. Have we lost a valuable prac- Peterson also quotes re- the traditional idea Vote: you can make a difference tice by losing have changed since the searcher in Montreal. have already we Dan Cere of McGill Uni- Let's look at how re- of courting? "Perhaps versity lationships America in North by making your voice heard days of courtship. Report for US passed through the 'end' of court- writer Ellen Rothman, to wit- ship and are now poised News and World says, to be dorie to find what research I do not know about the rest of the helm of this country, it is up to "20th century courtships have ness its rebirth." He calls for new you, but I am very excited that us to show them how wrong they generally been more sexually in- links love and marriage in our November is right around the cor- timate but less emotionally inti- country today. ner. Just vote. It really does not mat- mate than courtships in the past." Despite what some research- Couples less time are spending This may surprise some of you, ers have found and predict about but the way I see it, with that whole ::r i~i~~~eo;e:~~~ ~~~j~:~i:~~~:~ talking and more time getting the future of relationships in chicken sandwich mystery now serves the job and who you believe ihh::~~~ye~~~~~ i~~h~~:!~tionshiP America, there still remains the solved, one must find something idea that men and women have with which to occupy their mind. will do right by the people of this I frequently see my peers un- different views of love and com- country. sure of where they stand with their Now, as much as I love all the mitment. yearly traditions that come with Vote for Gore, Bush, Nader, or significant others. Are they dating, Mary Elizabeth Podles, author this time between Halloween and ~sv~:;:'i~~~n~~:os::.et~~~r::~~ going steady, just friends, but fre- of the article Courtship and The the holiday season, it is not these As I write this, I am drawn to ~~a~~y engaging in casual sex or Rules in the American Enterprise, yearly traditions that excite me. Michael Wiles an ad I have taped to my wall, cut To me, not knowing what re- says thai recent studies have in- 1 Rather, it is a tradition that dicated that men and women use from a recent issue of Rolling lationship exists between one an- comes only every four years: the heard the "party line" about how Stone. other indicates a lack of commu- entirely different areas of their upcoming presidential election. brain for things such as solving , "every vote counts" and how It was sponsored by the "Rock nication and seriousness about Yes, I have turned my attention problems and enduring pain. YOUR voice is the one that will the Vote" campaign, whose mission love. True, love is an enjoyable to politics: after 'all, the smell in This may be Rouzer Hall is only interesting for ma~n~~~~l~~~~, :~~I;~:~afc;~U is I~~:t ~o~~:t~~~:~e ~~Itl~~~~~~s~ experience, but it is also a serious has distinct views when it comes so long. who are familiar with the "Elec- girl with the word "Ignorant" con~:.,r~~ld like to add that the idea to relationships. With voter turnout getting Regardless of your gender, re- worse with every election, espe- toral College" already know, this stamped across her. of sex being referred to as ':casual" inforcing the traditional values of cially among youths, I feel the need is n~:i~~itl~e:~~ no reason not to 10W~~:~~~;:~~ti~~:~:a~si~~et~~~ is very appalling to me! To think courtship in the your attitudes to- to weigh in on the subject. give it a chance. have you figured out .' Piss off a ~:~ :~:~:h:;a~~ ~~~r~~~b~~~~~ ward relationships is possible. As someone born in what one I encourage you to take a sec- at both major-parry In looking might be considered a "voting off candidates, neither have any part of politician: vote." someone is to share could be taken so lightly ond look at what a loving relation- it appears for ~e to compre- is very difficult Finally, year," this will be the first election their platform aimed directly at our speaking directly 10 us, and we hend. ship means to you. Reconsider in which I get to vote, and I per- sonally can not wait to step into the ;:;~r:i~s:'u~eO;~t~fc~~:I~~: ~~o~~sa!~~~~~:~ra~~~~c;'''ignO_ Unfortunately, it is the ani- ::~::a~kJt:~~i;~t::yis booih. Now: I know all of you have even bother to vote. rant" we really are. ~~e~::e~~:ii~~s ;~~ni~ p;:~~~~~ basOO2@wmdc.edu A~~t~e n~~,~J~n~:~~~??_,~~ .~~~;.J~'j:u~?~rQ.lL".flf 01 J~;.r·l(.,..""", J'I "\-c-nr;TI""'"",=~-'---- .._._._,_,_,,_,_.,_.-.-_-.-••-.-.-.-_-_,